Staged@RS, Ranga Shankara's signature digital programme supported by Infosys Foundation, is back with its monthly offering for audiences around the world! 'Vikramorvasheeyam' presents Kalidasa's Sanskrit play in Kutiyattam, among the world oldest living theatrical traditions with a history of over 2000 years! Traditionally restricted to temple performances, 'Staged@RS' brings this artform to your screen! 

Lose yourself in the story of the powerful love between King Pururavas and the Apsara Urvashi in the Kottichetham Kutiyattam Ensemble's 'Vikramorvasheeyam'!

About the Play 

'Vikramorvasheeyam'

8+ years | 120 min

Kalidasa's Sanksrit play in Kutiyattam

Direction: Guru G Venu

Company: Kottichetham Kutiyattam Ensemble

Language: Kutiyattam with English surtitles

Synopsis:

‘Vikramorvasheeyam’ brings Kalidasa’s timeless Sanksrit play to the stage. The story of the powerful love between King Pururavas and the Apsara Urvashi is presented in the oldest performing art form of the country, Kutiyattam. Dating back over two millennia, the Sanskrit theatre form from Kerala is also the oldest extant form of theatre in the world today.

After extensive reading and discussion, the Kottichetham Kutiyattam Ensemble put together ‘Vikramorvasheeyam’, an interpretation that has only Sutradhara, Pururavas and Urvasi. Sutradhara enacts the story of Urvasi performing in Kubera’s palace, with other Apsaras, and on how, on their return, are kidnapped by Kesi, a demon. Pururavas rescues Urvasi and on their return in his chariot, he narrates how she was born long ago from the thigh of Narayana Maharshi and how all other celestial women became bashful on seeing her beauty. Urvasi’s important scene is the enactment of the Lakshmi Svayamvara referred to in the play as being directed by none other than Sage Bharata. There is a lot of acting potential at this beginning from the gods and demons churning the ocean of milk (palazhi) until the Mahalakshmi emergence from it.

About the Director: 

Gopalan Venu is a performer, teacher and scholar of Kutiyattam (Sanskrit theatre) and a senior disciple of Guru Ammannur Madhava Chakyar. He is also the founder of Natanakairali (Research and Performing Centre for Traditional Arts) and co-founder of Ammannur Chachu Chakyar Smaraka Gurukulam (Training Centre for Kutiyattam). 

His major contributions are his adaptations of Mahakavi Kalidasa’s plays Abhijnana Sakuntalam and Vikramorvaseeyam, and Bhasa’s play Urubhangam and Dutavakyam for Kutiyattam. He has authored 16 books on the performing arts of Kerala, including Production of a Play in Kutiyattam (1989), Into the World of Kutiyattam, Kathakali, Kutiyattam and other Performing Arts (2005) and Language of Kathakali. 

At the Abhinayakalari (Acting Laboratory) established in 2000, he has developed a training methodology for “Navarasa Sadhana” which is the systematic and daily practice of the nine basic emotions by actors with the aim of strengthening their capacities for producing this aesthetical experience. 

Venu is also a visiting Master Teacher of Kutiyattam at the National School of Drama in Delhi, Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune as well as to ITI (Singapore). Venu has been selected for several honours and awards, which include “Kerala Sahitya Academy Award”, “Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy Award”, “Kerala Kalamandalam Award”, Painkulam Rama Chakyar Smaraka Puraskaram (2009) and the prestigious “Nikkei Asia Prize for culture”(Japan) 2007.

Cast and Credit List:

Sutradhara

Ammannur Rajaneesh Chakyar

Pururavas

Sooraj Nambiar

Urvasi

Kapila Venu

Mizhavu Accompanists

Kalamandalam Rajeev

Kalamandalam Hariharan

Kalamandalam Narayanan Nambiar

Edakka Accompanist

Kalanilayam Unnikrishnan

Thalam Accompanist

Saritha Krishnakumar

Make-up

Kalanilayam Haridas

Lighting Execution

Vijay Kumar

Stagehand

Anil B

Surtitles

Kapila Venu